


A few more days

by evelitan



Category: Harlots (TV)
Genre: AU, Carnival, F/F, Hopeful Ending, M rated but bordering with E, Might contain involuntary triggers, Smutty work, Venice (Italy), mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-14 12:49:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evelitan/pseuds/evelitan
Summary: AU, Venice (Italy), Carnival, masks and music… Charlotte Wells tells us about her experience during one of the most famous celebrations in Venice.So this idea occurred to me while I was walking the streets of Venice the other day and wrote it down quickly on my phone. It's everything that is Harlots and the fic follows mostly all the events leading up to that night, but it also has a few twists and turns and it is happening in Venice instead of the UK.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note 1:  
> I recommend you (a lot!) To listen to this song ( https://youtu.be/fU61qXPRDAU ) one of the official soundtracks of Season 2 Harlots, it was basically what inspired this whole thing, because I loved how the beats and the tempo intertwined in the melody, so while reading this fic, give it a try and listen to the music. For those who have no idea about the ambient in Venice I'm adding some photos from Google, trust me, the beauty of this city has left me speechless.  
> https://goo.gl/images/mHr41S (Ponte Rialto)  
> https://goo.gl/images/xvdEze (Ponte Rialto)  
> https://goo.gl/images/YVCoeC (Piazza San Marco)  
> https://goo.gl/images/DcSMkx (Piazza San Marco)  
> https://goo.gl/images/gzGRVE (Random image of Venice)

****

*Charlotte Wells' narrating, her raspy voice sounding in our minds*

 

  
They called it "the city of lions" and I suppose, in a certain sense it was. It was also the city of saints and sinners and lords and douches, of courtiers and courtesans, of daemons and priests, of animals and men.  
Venice was the city of all, it was the city who had married the sea and tonight this little island felt like a completely different world, isolated from the main land. A cloud of thick vapor had surrounded the island, like a white veil shielding something incredibly precious from the prying eyes of the rest of the world.  
The green leaves of the gardens had just started turning bright shades of yellow and fiery orange, the air was still hot, but it didn't scourge your skin, in fact today the soft wind blowing from time to time had a chilly edge to it, whispering sweet promises of the rapidly approaching winter. By midday, the sea breeze was just picking up speed and tickled the small hairs on the nape of my neck, making them stand tall for a moment and feel a shiver starting it's descend down to the end of my spine.  
The sun had already set behind the horizon, but the sky was still lit and when the first flames of the city lamps were lit, I was already making my way down the stairs towards the main exit of the house.  
Pushing the massive, wooden door slowly open I found myself stepping onto the surface of humid tiles.

There were a lot of people prancing around the streets, some walking quickly, some hopping around, others taking languid steps while their laughter resonated around. Long, colorful dresses, nicely tailored suits and a sea of masks were moving around the narrow streets of this corner of Venice.  
People were happy, eager to have fun, desperate to escape their daily routines, but that was what the Carnival was all about after all. Everyone was dressed to make an impression, each person wore a mask that hid their face, erased each physical trait from their faces except for the eyes. Feathers, tiny stones, ribbons and sometimes even long crooked noses decorated the heads of everyone around. Some people had preferred to wear a whole face masks, others to cover only the upper part of the face.  
The city was pulsing with life, the water in the canals weaved the magic of the Carnival atmosphere into the spirit of the city itself, a barely detectable scent of vanilla and bourbon tickled my nose. It made my head spin, because there was only one person that this particular combination reminded me of.  
Normally, a lot of outsiders attended the famous event, but not this year. With the rapidly spreading diseases all over Europe, traveling had become much harder and Venice had closed its ports to strangers, the wealthiest families decided they didn't want to gamble with their lives.  
Without really paying attention, step after step, I found myself nearing the Rialto bridge, the music was getting stronger, I was only a couple of blocks away from the Saint Marc's square and subconsciously I felt my feet increasing slightly their speed.  
One final left turn and one more bridge, and I was here, Saint Marc's square... where under the gaze of lions and saints musicians played the most seductive, sensual and bewitching tunes I had ever heard, but there were so many people around that my eyes failed in each and every attempt I made to find her.  
Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam. The duchess of Venice, sister to arguably the worst animal in the city.

  
A servant with a simple costume passed by me and I took a long glass filled with champagne from his tray, the flute was made out of colorful glass, there were eight lines of different colors forming a flower design in the center and the stem and the support were all hand crafted transparent glass.  
I finished my drink quickly and when a taller figure approached me from across the square, my heart began thumping louder, but my enthusiasm was dampened. The eyes under the mask were not the ones I longed for, they were dark browns, completely wrong, so before the figure had the chance to come closer to me, I quickly turned around and made my way through the crowd, making sure I wasn't followed I stopped right in front of the bell tower.  
My friendship with the lady Isabella was one of the most unexpected yet pleasant surprises in my life so far, even though she probably had a good ten years on me, the understanding we had found in each other quickly made me think of her as something more than mere friend or a powerful ally.

At first, she was hesitant, she looked at me like she wanted to kiss me, but she also looked terrified of making that move, unsure of herself and constantly doubting her feelings... until the other night. Her constant concern had been the age difference of course, but I never even thought about it to be honest, in fact I couldn't care less about it.  
Ever since that night when she told me through tears what her brother had done to her, I wanted to never let her go from my embrace. I can still feel that fierce hug and see the shame in her glassy eyes, a shame that had no place there. If I knew I could get out with it (and if Isabella hadn't made me promise I wouldn't do anything foolish), I'd have strangled him with my bare hands, just like I almost did Lydia.  
Lost in my thoughts once more, I didn't notice when a white rose with red tips found its way right in front of my eyes. Jumping back startled, I saw the person who was holding it and this time I felt butterflies flutter in my stomach.

  
A woman, dressed in the finest of gowns, a combination of deep red and Prussian blue hugged her forms, accentuating each curve and descend of her body, stood in front of me. Her mask only covered her eyes and her hair was mostly down, but her eyes shined brightly and this time, they were just the eyes she had been dreaming of.  
Leaning closer to my ear, I heard a soft whisper "follow me".  
And just like that, I was walking closely behind her, holding her hand tightly with my left one and digging my right palm into the stem of the rose, only relaxing it when the sting of a torn registered in my brain.  
Step, by step, by step, the walk to the other end of the square seemed eternal, the drums had started beating faster and I couldn't wait any longer. Stopping abruptly and turning Lady Isabella by the hand to face me, I pushed her against one of the columns that supported the structure of the square.  
For a split second I saw a flicker of panic in her eyes, but it was quickly substituted by want and shyness, and desire, and there was even a hint of a smile on her lips.

  
"I have waited two whole days to have you in my arms again." - This time I stood up on my tiptoes and glued my body to hers, letting my breath caress the shell of her ear, making sure my words were only heard by her. Not that it was likely anyone to pay attention to us tonight, but still.

  
"As have I, Miss Wells. But we must not cross the borders of mere friendship out here." - Isabella spoke, softly, with voice filled with longing.

  
"Why not my lady? Look around you, it's Carnival, no one cares, no one wants to care." - I whispered.

  
And my words were true, it was as if the whole town, or at least the wealthy part of it, had decided to let go of their titles and names even if it was just for the Carnival. A couple on their right were basically dry humping, a company of three on the left were exchanging kisses filled with lust, just three feet across them two men were whispering sweet nothings to one another and nobody cared, nobody wanted to care. I was an unwritten mutual agreement that Carnival was sacred time. A time for pleasure and allure where the benefit of the anonymity was given to all, and that was where the masks came handy, they were practically glued to their owner's face.

  
Having Isabell so close and with her looking so beautiful, her creamy breasts peaking seductively above the corset, her glistening lips just waiting to be kissed and that damned perfume of hers made me surrender all my strength that I was left with from the second I saw her tonight, and finally step even closer, bringing our lips together. A moan escaped her lips just as I begged her for entrance with my tongue and when she granted me permission, I closed my hands around her waistline. If we were anywhere less public this damned corset would've been long gone, my fingers itches to touch every inch of her bare skin. Another moan sounded, but this time it came from me as she gripped my neck and scraped the small curls of where my hair started.  
It was a good thing that the music was so loud that it drowned our moans. The kisses soon became more heated and I could feel her hand tugging at my skirts, with one quick glance around I saw that we weren't the only ones who had succumbed to passion. There practically wasn't a single person on that square that wasn't at least locking lips with somebody.  
I continued trailing my kisses down her jaw, licking and tasting along the way the porcelain skin of her neck and chest, pulling slowly up the front of her skirts with one of my hands. My other hand was currently occupied with diving into her corset (in a bit of a strange angle, but still) massaging her breast and pinching her nipple.

  
The rhythm around us incited us to move along with it, the occasional moans and huffs around us made it clear that everyone was rather busy and when I felt her open her legs a little wider, I couldn't help but grin triumphantly. A surge of pure, hot desire washed over me.  
Holding her close and whispering in her ear, my fingers found her wet folds and she gasped loudly.

  
"You are the most beautiful person I have ever laid eyes upon. I cannot thank enough my luck for crossing our paths, for I never believed I could love with all my heart." - I whispered in her ear and with each praise I could feel her body reacting to my words.

  
I could feel her arousal coating my fingertips and just like the other night she held on to me tightly. One final kiss to her neck and a soft bite, I moved back just slightly so I could see her eyes, those beautiful, bright blues, that intoxicating look of satisfaction and happiness on her face. 

  
"Please Charlotte, please never let me go." - Lady Isabella managed to say between ragged breaths and I knew she wasn't talking just for tonight.

  
"Never, Isabella." - My voice sounded raspier than I intended and a warm sensation washed over me as I said her name. Only her name. Not her title or her position in society, the use of only her name held a special significance to us, right from our very first meeting.

  
My eyes found hers and in that precise moment I entered her with two fingers, seeing her pupil dilate with pleasure and almost turning her blue eyes, dark, softly throwing her head back to meet the cool stone behind her, triggered a response in me that never before I had experienced with any of my clients. I felt her hands tightening their grip around me, I felt her lazy kisses decorating my neck and her soft bites teasing the skin there. My chest felt so full of happiness it was as if it would explode and with each thrust of my fingers, Isabella moaned my name in the most delicate and sensuous manner.

  
Increasing the speed of my fingers I felt her breathing becoming shallower and quicker as well, she was close. I made my way up, kissing every inch of exposed skin I could get my mouth on and took her earlobe in my mouth, sucking on it and moaning with pleasure.  
"Let go my darling." - I whispered and bit her earlobe while pushing inside her just a little sharper than before and that was all it took for Isabella to come undone under me, to see tiny droplets of sweat drip from the sides of her forehead and gather in the valley between her still encased breasts. For a while both of us just stood there, flushed against each other, trying to calm our breathing back to normal, but never separating our touching foreheads.

  
"Oh my God..." - Isabella murdered after a few moments, finally catching her breath and opening her eyes to see Charlotte in front of her.

  
"Nah, just Charlotte is fine my love." - I laughed and kissed her. My fingers were still inside her, she told me she preferred me to stay inside just a little longer after she was done, so did, but she still whimpered a little when my fingers slipped out. I let my hand cup her and held her like that for a little while longer. Since our skirts were big and there was a lot of fabric used on them, it didn't make it obvious that I had lifter her skirts in front, in fact to any random passer by (had there been any tonight), it would just seem as two women standing very, very close together (and okay, kissing), but that would be it.

  
"Will you come by later tonight?" - Lady Isabella asked me with a why voice as if she wasn't moaning my name until a few minutes ago.

  
"Do you want me to?" - I asked, still looking at her.  
"I always do, you know that." - Isabella said softly as ever, but with a slight provocation in her voice.

  
"But we must be careful Charlotte, if my brother finds out about us..." - She trailed off horrified.

  
"In a few days we won't have to worry about him. I have a plan that will send both him and Lydia to Poveglia."

  
"Trust me." - I urged her.

  
"I can't bare the thought of him touching you... not after tonight. Not after the other night." - I could see the hurt, the pain in her eyes, but we had gone too far to risk our plan, the stakes were too high now.

  
"I will do everything in my power to make sure that he doesn't, but you must remain unbothered whatever the case is. Remember my love, just a few more days and freedom will be ours." - I said and lifted her chin with two fingers, making her look into my eyes and kissed her slowly.

  
_Just a few more days_ echoed in our minds, fueling the hope in our hearts, a mantra that was etched into our deepest thoughts... _a few more days_.

 


	2. Bonus chapter: Hear the moon whisper in your ear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes 1: Hi guys!! So, Harlots has been officially renewed for Season 3!! And when I read the news I jumped from happiness (I seriously hope we get to see more Isabella and Charlotte in season 3) and suddenly my fingers itched to write, so this continuation of the story happened. As I said before, it was supposed to be a one-shot, but now is one shot with a bonus. I imagine I’ll write more for this pairing, but I’m eager to know what you think. Enjoy!
> 
> Notes 2: The song inspiration is still the same as before, I swear this pair and this song ruined me or at least short-circuited my brain. Oh and a little dialect information “Canalasso” is what people in Venice call the Grand Canal, “Venezia” is, of course, Venice in Italian and “Lido di Venezia” is the long island in front of it. And I based Isabella's room on this one: https://www.google.com/search?q=luxury+room+venezia&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixyYDT09TdAhUCCRoKHSD1CBoQ_AUIDigB&biw=1536&bih=723#imgrc=caa7ep7N4h-3DM:

 

_*Isabella POV, her voice sounds as soft as ever, but also more relaxed than we have ever heard her, in the darkness of her room with the windows opened, she is free to speak her mind, only a streaming beam of moonlight remind her of the outside world.*_

 

Everything starts with a fascination, a yearning for a look, a hunger for a lingering touch. Everything starts so innocent, just admiring her earrings or noticing the fine shape of the bodice of her dress, then comes the “accidental” brush of the hand, the jittery, hesitant touch, the first guilty pleasure you allow yourself with the illusion of it being also the last.

“You are awfully quiet tonight.” – Charlotte said as she pulled me closer to her, letting me rest my chin on her shoulder. Laying together, sticky and hot, still breathing a little fast from all the pleasure each of us gave and received, is for some unknown reason one of my favorite moments when we are together. Only the taste of her lips and the euphoric cry of my name in the highs of passion can ever top that.

“I… I don’t want tonight to end, honestly.” – I tried to make light of the situation, but she knew the demons that haunted my mind, she knew them intimately well, for she had daemons of her own. The moon was high in the skies, but the Carnival around the city was still going strong.

Fireworks colored the sky every now and then and numerous violins serenated the full moon while people danced around, still happy, still oblivious of everything else and still very, _very_ , drunk. The window of my room was overlooking the _Canalasso_ and the island of _Lido di Venezia_ just across that. Everything seemed to weave itself into a perfect harmonious sonata, the noise of the city, the passion and lust contained in my room, the light of the full moon, bathing Venice with its soft glow, allowing us one night of complete freedom.

“You worry a lot, my love.” – Charlotte said.

“And you, don’t worry at all.” – I hissed back, it was not my intention to hurt Charlotte, but with our plan so close to succeeding, my nerves had indeed doubled.

“We could lose so much if he finds out of our plan. And I… I cannot lose you Charlotte, not to _him_.” – My voice trembled.

“Isabella look at me.” – She said in a pleading voice that I could not refuse. Her eyes shined in the gentle darkness that surrounded us.

“You will not lose me and I will not lose you either. Our plan is working, Lidiya is already feeling weaker by the second, she has no idea that Sarah, one of the new girls is putting poison in her tea and your brother, he was beaten from the moment he went up against you, he just doesn’t know it yet.” – Charlotte spoke and pulled me closer to her.

“No doctor would risk having Lidiya around or people will begin panicking. I assure you, my love, by next week she and your brother will be on the next boat to Poveglia and you will finally be free.” – She said in a raspy voice.

“We. We will be free.” – I corrected her and that sweet promise of the most precious of gifts tumbling from her lips made me bolder in my actions and finally allowed myself to pull her down for another kiss. Wiggling under her and arching up, just to tease her a little bit, until that devilish smile that melted my heart graced her lips and she began moving against me once more.

So yes, everything starts with a quiet fascination, a presumed whim of the body, an innocent infatuation. However, after a few more days, the fleeing glances and desired dripping looks can only take you so far and you end up longing for your fingers to do much more than tuck away the wary strand of hair that escaped its confinements. You start dreaming of tangling your hand in the small hairs on the back of her neck, to tease the chestnut curls there and pull her closer so that your lips can not only brush but finally give into the kiss both your lips burn for.  

“I love you, Isabella, I love you…” – Charlotte moaned loudly when she came against my thigh, and for a single moment I wished my brother was home tonight, so he could see the markings her nails and lips left all over my body on the next morning, so that he could hear this wonderful creature screaming my name tonight without the promise of money for it. Something he never had, nor he ever will have.

With each passing day, you lose count at the numerous occasions, she makes your cheeks taint red, how much she actually teases you… Whenever it is just the two of you, of how she sways her hips just a little bit more than necessary when she walks, how that tantalizing grin of hers makes a rush of hot chills run down your body. She makes you feel as if you’ve kissed the sun itself and right after that made love with the moon, she slowly, but surely ruins you for any future lover and you get to a point where you surrender yourself freely, you surrender your heart to an indubitable darnation and… you do so gladly. More willingly than you have ever given or surrendered anything to anyone before, for this courtesan is the reason you tasted freedom and ironically enough love for the first time. A courtesan taught you what real love is.

Ironically enough, Charlotte Wells is the only person in whose possession your heart is safe, at least I know mine is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, these characters are not mine, |I do not make any profits out of them and I am not trying to promote any hotels or such things, I am just providing a somehow accurate visual representation of my imagination.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes 1:  
> Hi guys! This is my first fic for this fandom, I only recently learned of the existence of Harlots (which is amazing and I'm kicking myself for not knowing it before) and I believe that an extra fic to read is never a bad thing, so give it a go if you want and tell me what you think. Every comment and kudos counts. Thank you for your attention and enjoy! Oh and I'm sorry for any and all mistakes and typos which I tried to correct, but writing fics on the phone isn't very comfortable.
> 
> Notes 2:  
> Also, the symbol of Venice is a winged lion (the symbol of Saint Marc, patron saint of the city), so there are lions on every building and 90% of the bridges and restaurants and hotels and the Saint Marc's square is surrounded by statues of saint on top of the buildings. Oh and the island of Poveglia was where all the plague victims were shipped to so there's a slight historic discrepancy here, but this is an AU after all.


End file.
